Houdini: Gaviota and Nalimov Help!!!!

[reachnick2012]

I'm using YaY 3.2.2 with polyglot. My engine is Houdini 2.0c, opening book is RpC-SF 1.4.1. I've downloaded gaviota and nalimov table bases for Houdini, but I am not sure if they are active/loaded when I play.

This is the relevant part of my polyglot ini. Do I just point to the folder where the files are, and the engine handles the rest? Do I not have to point to a specific file?How do I know if they're being used in play? Another question, does it make a difference if I have a couple duplicate files in the folder? Thanks!

GaviotaTbPath=C:\gaviota
GaviotaTbCache=64
Hard Probe Depth=24
Soft Probe Depth=16
NalimovCache=32
NalimovPath=C:\nalimov
Mate Search=0
Numa Offset=0
Numa=true
Strength=100

[reachnick2012]

also, don't I want mate search to be 100 and not 0? I want mate...

[matematiko]

I'm using YaY 3.2.2 with polyglot. My engine is Houdini 2.0c, opening book is RpC-SF 1.4.1. I've downloaded gaviota and nalimov table bases for Houdini, but I am not sure if they are active/loaded when I play.

This is the relevant part of my polyglot ini. Do I just point to the folder where the files are, and the engine handles the rest? Do I not have to point to a specific file?How do I know if they're being used in play? Another question, does it make a difference if I have a couple duplicate files in the folder? Thanks!

GaviotaTbPath=C:\gaviota
GaviotaTbCache=64
Hard Probe Depth=24
Soft Probe Depth=16
NalimovCache=32
NalimovPath=C:\nalimov
Mate Search=0
Numa Offset=0
Numa=true
Strength=100

Is true that with version 2.0c both table bases are supported now, but I do not think the engine was meant to use both at the same time. You should only use one set of end game table bases, but, this is just my personal opinion.

The answer to your question, yes: Just point to the folder where the bases files are.

One way to see if they are working correctly is to see at an endgame with 5 pieces or less, if the moves are done instantaneously and the engine is not thinking, you can see if the engine(or engines for multi-core) is thinking using Task Manager (Ctril-Alt-Del) Performance TAB. I the CPUs are at 100%, the engines are thinking (assuming pondering is on).

The other possible way, but I am not sure, is to declare and activate a houdini log, and analyze it.

I am going to take the opportunity to warn you, do not double post in this FORUM, one post is enough. Please read the FORUM rules.

Good luck,

[reachnick2012]

my bad. good looks on the advice. should mate search be 0 or 1?

[matematiko]

my bad. good looks on the advice. should mate search be 0 or 1?

Not even the Author's documentation makes any mention of what this is for. When in doubt, leave in default which is zero, meanwhile go ask in other forums. Hopefully someone else will give us some input on this topic.

Regards,

[Prima]

Do I just point to the folder where the files are, and the engine handles the rest?

Yes.

Do I not have to point to a specific file?

No. Just pointing to the folder containing these files is sufficient.

How do I know if they're being used in play?

Just as Matematiko pointed out. Additionally, the engine tends to move faster when pieces on the board equals the total pieces of a Table base.

Another question, does it make a difference if I have a couple duplicate files in the folder? Thanks!

Having duplicates might end up slowing down the engine considerably during a critical [end-game] phase when the engine has little time left but has to make "double" table-base probes. So, remove duplicates.

should mate search be 0 or 1?

Houdini author used either Mate Search=10 or 15 for finding certain "tough" mate or draw positions. From what I gathered from TalkChess forum is, the concept behind Mate Search assists Houdini 2.0 find mate or draws a lot faster [within the set depth] than if wasn't set. Since I don't have H2.0 [by choice], I didn't pay much attention to H2.0 details.

[reachnick2012]

thank you so much I really appreciate your informative reply!

[Prima]

thank you so much I really appreciate your informative reply!

You're welcome

[matematiko]

Keep in mind that during blitz games, 1/0 for example, forcing the engine to try to find a mate in 10 or 15 might end up in time losses...I do not really know. One thing to do is to experiment with this values, make notes then post results here if possible.

Regards,

[Prima]

Keep in mind that during blitz games, 1/0 for example, forcing the engine to try to find a mate in 10 or 15 might end up in time losses...I do not really know. One thing to do is to experiment with this values, make notes then post results here if possible.

Regards,

IIRC, the Search Mate test done by Robert Houdart may have been done in blitz (1+1? or so). Nevertheless, your concern is valid.
I just needed to construe the Search Mate feature to reachnick2012.
I would test-out the Search Mate feature, but then again, I don't have Houdini 2.0. Nor do I intend on owning Houdini 2.0.

Best regards.

[quade1337]

prima check my post in the winboard section please